This
week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever methane
specific pollution standards for new and modified oil and gas facilities.AMC has long supported stronger safeguards on
air quality, including methane, ozone and other pollutants. When adopted, the
new standards will mark significant progress in reducing the expected growth of
methane and smog-forming pollution in our atmosphere. And, in conjunction with expected
standards for existing oil and gas facilities, will bring our nation closer to
meeting the Obama Administration’s goal of reducing methane pollution from the oil
and gas sector by 40 to 45 percent by 2025.

Methane pollution is increasing in large part because of today’s oil
and gas industry. The fracking boom, outdated and
inefficient control technology, and leaky gas wells and pipelines, are major
sources of emissions.Methane is a
potent greenhouse gas, trapping more than 80 times as much heat on our planet
over a 20 year period than carbon dioxide. Because of inadequate regulations, the
oil and gas industry is currently venting, flaring, and leaking enough methane
pollution each year to heat more than 6 million homes, more homes than are in the
entire state of Pennsylvania. Methane not only causes climate disruptions but
also contributes to ozone pollution, which is a significant health issue for
those recreating outside.There must be
no delay in
finalizing the EPA’s newly announced methane standards, which will use existing, low-cost
technologies to plug the leaks and stop the pollution, and
will protect
Americans’ health and the places we love.